‘That Thing Called Tadhana’ opens in 31 US theaters

INQUIRER.net US Bureau
-
4 years ago

TFC@theMovies is bringing to 31 theaters the most successful Cinema One Originals film to date: “That Thing Called Tadhana,” written and directed by Antoinette Jadaone, with an award-winning performance by Angelica Panganiban, shown with co-star JM de Guzman. The film opens in the US on March 27.

REDWOOD SHORES – Cinema One Originals’ most successful film to date, “That Thing Called Tadhana,” is film writer-director Antoinette Jadaone’s “dream project.”

Her little-film-that-could will now be screened internationally through TFC@theMovies, which will bring it to 31 theaters in the U.S. starting Friday, March 27.

A dream project it was. Jadaone’s story won the prestigious 2014 Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature for Jadaone. It was followed by a P2 million budget granted by Cinema One Originals to produce the movie, sold-out screenings at the 2014 Cinema One Originals Film Festival late last year, Best Actress Awards for lead actress Angelica Panganiban at said filmfest and at the 13th Gawad Tanglaw (tied with Nora Aunor for “Dementia”), and Audience Choice and Champion Bughaw for Full-Length Feature awards, aside from being nominated as Best Picture also at the 2014 Cinema One Originals filmfest.

But what went beyond Jadaone’s dreams was that her independent film grossed over P120 million in the Philippines in less than three weeks, making it the most successful Cinema One Originals film release yet.
Starring Panganiban and JM de Guzman as Mace Castillo and Anthony Lagdameo, respectively, and joined by Joem Bascon, the film — which takes viewers from a chance meeting between Mace and Anthony at the airport in Rome to their impromptu adventure to Baguio and Sagada as they converse about broken hearts — has become so popular among moviegoers that a four-day “Tadhana Tour” of Baguio and Sagada was even offered by a travel group.

Top Filipino critics sing a chorus of praise:

“What starts out as an innocent gesture of kindness, ends up as a road trip across Luzon. Like “Before Sunrise,” the film is a simple observation of two conversing individuals. There is no elaborate romantic setup, and no arbitrary goal. But in the latest film by writer-director Antoinette Jadaone, the story simply relies on words, time and two people.” – Zig Marasigan, Rappler.com

“The movie avoids the overly melodramatic scenes and loud confrontation scenes that have long been the norm in dramatic movies. It also avoids being just a Filipinized version of all the nice foreign rom-coms that have come our way. The acting is natural, the situations not forced. The ending, provocative then smart.” – Mari-Ann Santos, pep.ph

“The film has the right blend of romance and comedy laced with realistic, down-to-earth, and relatable dialogue. Angelica and JM deliver superb performances as they ignite and arouse the sensibilities of every moviegoer with their palpable on-screen chemistry.” – Isah V. Red, Manila Standard Today

“Another thing that it does right is focusing on these 20-somethings’ lives; they’re somewhat jaded, their early dreams faded or replaced by demands of reality. For all its spotlight on dreary life and treacherous love, the film has redeeming optimism. It fits all that in one talky, painful catharsis of a movie, and for that, those who relate to it have much to be thankful for.” – Oliver M. Pulumbarit, Inquirer.net

“And the greatest lesson of ‘Tadhana; is that we should not run away from heartbreaks because in the long run, it would make us better. Just look at Direk Antoinette. Not only did she discovered her capability to write, she also produced a film that would help broken hearted people recover, or at the very least, laugh.” – Carla Bianca V. Ravanes, The Manila Times

“A dream came true for an industry colleague, Antoinette Jadaone, through ‘That Thing Called Tadhana,’ and the spirit of that dream, which is hope in the face of the challenges of reality, is what makes this movie very special,” said ABS-CBN Global Head of Theatricals and acclaimed film, TV and concert stage director John-D Lazatin. “This film is a perfect offering for spring in North America which is a season of change and a time for new beginnings.”

For more information including the theater listings in the US for “That Thing Called Tadhana,” visit http://www.tfc-usa.com/that-thing-called-tadhana/